


My Pretty Carnival Girl

by ThePerditionCrasher



Category: The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, smut in second chapter
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-11
Updated: 2020-01-11
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:28:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,846
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22214077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThePerditionCrasher/pseuds/ThePerditionCrasher
Summary: Geralt had to take a moment to gather his exasperated thoughts. How on earth could two people be so moronic that they were practically perfect for each other in their own stupidity? How could Jaskier not realise that when he thought Y/N was looking at Geralt, she was actually looking at the fucking idiot stood next to him! How could Y/N not see that whenever the young bard sang songs of love and heartache, his eyes never left her?So Geralt is going to finally do something about it.
Relationships: Jaskier | Dandelion/Reader
Comments: 12
Kudos: 125





	My Pretty Carnival Girl

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys, this is the first fanfic I’ve written in a long time, I just fell so in love with The Witcher and it’s characters, I couldn’t help myself. There will be a part two to this that will probably be smut. Hope you guys enjoy!  
> The Song used in this ‘Fakenham Fair’ by Bellowhead though I have changed a few of the lyrics to suit the characters.
> 
> Warnings: occasional swearing, suggestive themes, A LOT of fluff!  
> Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters or the music involved.

Y/N winced as the raucous drunken roars of the Inn’s occupants hurt her ears as she squeezed through the crowds towards the table in the corner, juggling three large tankards. Celebratory ale spilled over onto the floor as tankards clunked together in toast to the Witcher; Geralt of Rivia. The Witcher and his companions had ridden into town in the early break of morning, where they were approached by the desperate townsfolk who offered all the money they had for Geralt to slay the Basilisk that had been terrorizing the town for many moons now. The Basilisk had been killing livestock for weeks and had recently moved on to the taste of human flesh. The townsfolk had begged their king to do something, but the drunken letch ignored them, leaving Geralt as their last hope. The Basilisk had been no match for the mighty Witcher, and by dusk they had returned to the entire town piling into the local Inn in celebration, offering free food, drink and accommodation for their saviours in thanks. Jaskier had been so happy he could have cried at the idea of sleeping in a real bed after so many nights on the cold hard ground. They all bathed and ate until their bodies were warm and full; even Geralt seemed more at ease after a soak in a hot bath, washing away all the blood and grime, the tension in his broad shoulders slipping away.

The Witcher in question sat at a table in the corner of the Inn, cast in shadow; his damp silver hair curled at the ends, his eyes like glowing embers in the dark. He watched the rain outside patter against the window seemingly lost in thought, only broken when Y/N crashed into the table as she leapt out of the way of two burly men jostling each other in another raucous cheer of celebration. She set down the drinks and slid one towards Geralt who grunted in thanks before taking a large swig of ale.

She took her seat next to him and took a sip of her own drink, her eyes watered as the alcohol burning her throat. She placed the other at the edge of the table, ready for the third member of their small party. Its owner; Jaskier was stood on a chair, lute in hand and head thrown back in song as people danced around him. The dark curls stuck to the sweat on his forehead and his eyes shone as he revelled in the cheers and claps around him. His grin shone brightly like a flame, lighting up the room and settling in the pit of Y/N’s stomach with a curling warmth. She drank in every inch of his beautiful appearance. His long fingers gliding across the lute strings with gorgeous precision, causing the veins to protrude on his firm forearms, disappearing under the bunched up roll of his sleeves pushed up to his elbows, his skin slightly sun kissed from their time in the afternoon sun during their travels. His jacket rested next to Y/N on the bench, discarded earlier in the evening. The shirt clung to the sweat on his skin and lay open at the neck, dark whispers of hair peeking out from beneath the seams. Y/n felt heat rush to her cheeks as her gaze became fixated on a single drop of sweat that slid down the bard’s sharp jaw, down his throat and slipped beneath the neck of his shirt. What sweet noise would he make, she wondered, if she caught that droplet with her tongue?

Her reverie was broken by a worn rag being pushed in her direction by the Witcher she had forgotten was sitting beside her. She picked up the rag and inspected it with confusion.

“What’s this for?” she asked turning to Geralt.

“To wipe up the drool off your chin,” he replied, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth his eyes alight with idle amusement.

Y/N’s face burned as she sputtered in mortification.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she grumbles as she throws the rag back in the Witcher’s face and slumps in her seat, gulping down her ale to hide her bright red cheeks as a low chuckle rumbled from her friend.

Y/N and Geralt had a strange friendship, stretching many years from when she was still a girl helping her father in his smithy. Her father had been the best blacksmith in Fakenham, creating weapon for knights, mages and mutants from across the land, and had struck up an unlikely friendship with a young Geralt from his many visits to their shop. After her father died, she continued his work and Geralt continued his visits. He would sit while she worked and listen to her talk, supplying the occasional grunt or hum in reply. Over the years, her shop shrank into a small stall in the market as business became scarce; not many people trusted the skill of a female blacksmith. It was during the annual fair six months ago that Geralt came through for a job, only this time he travelled with a companion. A rather handsome companion, Y/N had noticed. Once Geralt had slain his monster, she begged him to take her with him. She had nothing left in Fakenham; no family, no shop, just a small stall and a dingy room above the tavern. Her heart soared when he agreed, she packed up her things and didn’t look back. She didn’t want to be a burden so she repaid Geralt by repairing his swords and his armour, and selling little metal trinkets and jewellery she crafted on the campfire. She needn’t have worried too much, Geralt seemed to care about her, and she hoped he considered her to be family as much as she did him.

The Bard had exceeded her first impression of him as they got to know each other. While it was his beauty that had struck her, it was his charming and flirtatious nature that gave him a place in her heart. Her pulse jumped in her throat and butterflies fluttered furiously in her stomach every time he was near her. He could turn her entire body to a raging inferno with nothing but a wink. She fell in love with him slowly and all at once, but it soon became apparent he did not feel the same way. The same flirtatious nature that had drawn her in was not reserved for just her, it would seem. Jaskier eyes would follow every beautiful maiden (and handsome man) they came across, serenading them with his smile and his songs then disappearing into their bedchambers until the next morning. While she had been heartbroken, she soon accepted things as they were. She never wanted to lose their friendship and so she would force herself to get over these feelings. She could never hate him for feelings he did not have; how could he have known how she felt when she kept her feelings hidden?

She dropped her empty tankard now that her face had returned to its natural colour and side-eyed Geralt, who still had a small mischievous twinkle in his eye as he drained his own. It seemed her feelings weren’t as hidden as she’d originally thought.

Y/N jumped as Jaskier dropped down beside her, his chest heaving. He rested an arm over her shoulder and gulped down his ale. He slammed the tankard onto the table and licked the remaining drops from his pink lips. Before she could help herself, her eyes dropped to watch the action, her breath stuttering. Thankfully Jaskier didn’t seem to notice as he looked out across the room.

“Isn’t it marvellous to finally be around people who truly appreciate musical artistry when they hear it,” he gleamed. Y/N raised an eyebrow.

“And what are we, chopped mutton?” she teased, biting her lip to hold back her grin.

Jaskier inclined his head toward Geralt “I mainly talking about Mr Misery over there. You, my lady, are of course my most appreciative audience, and my most cherished muse,”

He drops his face closer to hers and winks, causing her cheeks to flare up again and a giggle to slip past her lips. She chastised herself for her silly girlish reaction. She was supposed to be getting over these feelings, but every time he opened his mouth, a charming compliment and flirtatious wink would send her leaping heart whirling back to where it started. She removed herself from under Jaskier’s arm to save her poor chest before it burst open and picked up the empty tankards.

“Anyone for another round?” she asked, but before either man could reply she was on her feet and diving through the crowds.

Jaskier’s shoulders slumped in defeat as he watched her retreating figure disappear into the sea of faces.

“I told you Geralt, it’s hopeless” he moaned, “How could someone as perfect and radiant as Y/N, a literal walking goddess, ever look for more than a second at a lowly bard like me. Especially when this bard is stood next to the likes of you,”

He sunk lower into his seat, sending a scowl towards the Witcher. Geralt paused and frowned.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Jaskier scoffed and rolled his eyes.

“Oh come on, surely you’ve seen the way she looks at you, with those big, beautiful doe eyes. She’s in love with you!” he cried, “How could she not be, with your perfect jawline and bulging biceps,”

He huffed and sunk back into his seat, sulking. Geralt had to take a moment to gather his exasperated thoughts. How on earth could two people be so moronic that they were practically perfect for each other in their own stupidity? How could Jaskier not realise that when he thought Y/N was looking at Geralt, she was actually looking at the fucking idiot stood next to him! How could Y/N not see that whenever the young bard sang songs of love and heartache, his eyes never left her.

Y/N returned to the table, now with three refilled tankards. She placed them in front of the men before sitting down, this time in a chair opposite Geralt. The new seating position did not go unnoticed by Jaskier, causing him to sink even further into his seat and huff, turning away. Geralt watched as Y/N’s gaze flickered towards Jaskier before dropping to the cracked tankard in front of her once she saw that his focus was directed towards the crowd. He didn’t think he had ever come so close to smashing two peoples’ heads together as he had in that moment, looking between the brooding pair.

“fucking idiots,” he growled, his sudden outburst causing the two to look up at him in shock.

However, before either of them could question him, one of the girls from the town skipped over to Jaskier, her friends close behind her giggling.

“Excuse me, Bard?” she squeaked.

Jaskier jumped up, his grin returning as took the girl’s hand and placed a light kiss on it.

“What can I do for such a lovely maiden as yourself?” he purred.

The poor girl looked like she was about to combust. Her friends shrieked behind her, fanning their own blushing faces.

“We wondering if you could play us some more songs, we’d love to dance for you,”

Jaskier straightened his shirt and picked up his loot.

“How could I deny such a request when the heavens have sent angels to ask it?”  
He turned to shrug at his companions before following the gaggle of giggling girls. Y/N swallowed back the bile that threatened to rise in her throat, attempting to wash the foul taste away with another glug of her ale. But it did nothing.

“I think I’m going to go to bed,” she murmured, pushing her half full tankard towards Geralt and began to rise from her seat, but the Witcher grabbed her arm, making her freeze.

“Sit down,” he growled, his gloved hand still holding tightly on her wrist. Y/N cautiously sank back into her seat, looking at him with concern.

“Is everything okay Geralt?” she asked, nervously. Had she done something wrong?

“You’re an idiot, you both are,” he snarled, narrowing his eyes.

“Me? What did I do?” Y/N huffed, taken aback, and a little insulted at his harsh words.

“How can you not see that Jaskier as in love with you as you are with him,”

Now really taken aback, she began spluttering as that stupid blush that had plagued her all night rushed across her face, running up her neck and burning the tips of her ears.

“I’m not in love with him!” she pointlessly protested, “And even if I was there is no way in hell he’d feel the same way, look at him!”

She pointed over to the bard who had resumed his place on the chair, smiling widely at the girls that surrounded him dancing and giggling.

“That man can’t keep in his pants for more than two seconds, distracted by anyone that has a pulse and an empty bed. What makes you think he has the time to look twice at me?”

Tears began to burn behind her eyes, if this was the Witcher’s idea of a joke it was cruel and most definitely not funny. She liked to think Geralt wouldn’t be that mean, not to her at least.

“If you actually paid attention you would have noticed that he hasn’t been with anyone in months, it stopped not long after you joined us. That’s because of you Y/N. I’ve nearly strangled the bastard too many times because he won’t shut up about you,” Geralt leaned back in his seat and sighed,  
“You both spend hours staring at each other and pining away, but you’re both too caught up in your own self pity to realise that you both feel the same way. Then I have to put up with your sad, sulking arses, do you have any idea how fucking annoying it is? So suck it up and knock it off, just tell each other for fuck sake,”

Y/N remained frozen, staring at him in shock. All these years of knowing each other and that was probably the most she’d ever heard Geralt speak in one conversation. She was so in shock that her brain had to take a few seconds to process the words he had actually said.

Geralt became impatient, not waiting for her to answer he rose to his feet and stormed over to Jaskier. He grabbed the bard by the collar and dragged him down to face level so he could say something in his ear. Whatever it was caused Jaskier to grow pale with fear and frantically shake his head. But Geralt ignored his pleading and growled at him. The bard gave him a resigned nod before returning to face his audience with a strained smile.

Y/N’s gaze followed Geralt as he returned to their table with a questioning look, but he said nothing. She turned her focus to Jaskier who seemed to be taking a few deep breaths before clearing his throat to gather the attention of his audience.

“Ladies and Gentlemen,” he called, his voice wavering slightly, “I am afraid this magical night must finally come to an end,”

The crowd booed, but he ignored them, talking over their cries.

“So I will leave you with one last song. This song I have been composing for a few months and have never played in front of anyone before,”

His eyes flickered over to you, the raw feeling glinting in the candlelight made Y/N’s chest tighten, he looked so vulnerable, so afraid. She had never seen him like this.

“But for my wonderful listeners, I will play it for you tonight in farewell!”

The room slowed to quiet whispers as they waited in anticipation. Jaskier released a shaky breath and began to play. The tune was just as joyful and light as the rest of the night’s compilation, but it was slower in tempo. She didn’t recognise the tune and that made her frown. He always seemed to ask her opinion on his new songs so she thought she knew them all but this one was completely unfamiliar to her.

_I never really fell in love ‘til I went out to Fakenham fair,_  
_A chance for t’meet with a carnival girl_  
_who was selling the fortunes there._  
_Try for a sword or a silver spear or a_  
_Golden filigree._  
_But all the while her eyes were saying “Oh_  
_Come, Take a chance on me!”_

_So swing around the merry-go-round,_  
_Give the wheel of fortune a whirl,_  
_The finest prize at Fakenham fair_  
_Is the pretty carnival girl_

Y/N’s breath caught in her chest, listening intently to the lyrics of his ballad. The song was about her home, and the fair where they had met. This was about her, about them meeting for the first time. It was a love song and it was about her. She turned to Geralt but he just pointed back towards the bard, a smug smirk on his face.

_Her eyes were [E/C], her hair was [H/C],_  
_And her lips they were soft and red_  
_And I’ve never seen a shape like hers and_  
_My eyes nearly popped from my head_  
_For I was foolish and blind to love, oh, but still_  
_Even I could see,_  
_The way she smiled and winked my way said_  
_“Come take a chance on me!”_

A small tear slipped past the corner of her eye as she took in Jaskier’s words. Geralt had been right, she was stupid; they both were.

There was no wavering in Jaskier’s voice anymore as he held her gaze while the lyrics poured from his mouth, but his stomach felt like it was about to drop to the floor. He couldn’t bear the thought of seeing the look of betrayal and disgust in her eyes once she realised his love song was about her, but he couldn’t seem to pull his stare away from hers. Why had he listened to Geralt when he told him to play her song? Was it payback for all those nights begging for his council on the lyrics long after Y/N had gone to sleep? Or was Geralt so cruel that he would force Jaskier to humiliate himself in front of the woman he loved in order to steal her for himself. He flickered his focus to the Witcher in question sat next to her. He looked smug, but the moment he noticed the bard watching him he rolled his eyes and pointed to Y/N. It was then, when his focus returned to his muse that he finally saw it. It wasn’t disgust in her eyes, but hope. Hope that the meaning in his lyrics were real, that the love he sang of was true. His heart stuttered in his chest and he nearly missed a beat as his breath caught in his throat. He prayed to the gods and offered up his soul that the hope that shone in her gorgeous eyes meant that she felt the same way about him.

_The old boys said “She’s too good for you, now_  
_What will the old people think!”_  
_But I took my chance and I won that girl_  
_Just as quick as my eye could wink,_

Feeling a sudden rise of bravery, Jaskier sent a wink her. The smile that bloomed on her face made his heart stop and burst completely. His cheeks ached with a smile that matched her own. Surely this had to be a dream, a beautiful, heavenly dream. Any moment now he would awake to the forest around him, the cold ground beneath his back and Y/N’s delicate snores near him, none the wiser.

_And the finest day in all my life whatever_  
_May come to pass,_  
_Was the day that I went to Fakenham fair_  
_And won me the carnival lass._  
_So swing around the merry-go-round,_  
_Give the wheel of fortune a whirl,_  
_The finest prize at Fakenham fair_  
_Is my pretty carnival girl._

The crowds cheered and clapped as the Bard closed his song and gave a bow. As he lifted his head, Jaskier looked back towards the table. He froze in panic when he caught no sight of her, her seat was empty. All that remained was an abandoned ale and a smug Witcher nodding towards the crowd. Jaskier followed his direction to see Y/N pushing through the crowd towards him. As though lightning had struck him, he jumped off the chair and rushed to meet her halfway, grabbing her outstretched hand and pulling her free from the sea. The force sent her crashing into his chest and he caught her, arms entwining around her waist. She was flush against him, the smell of his sweat filled her senses and made her giddy.

“Hi,” he stuttered, a nervous smile tagging at his lips.

“Hey there,” she replied, beaming up at him.

His arms tightened around her waist, pulling her even closer into him. Her warm body against his set his nerve endings ablaze. His nerves slowly dissipated and his smile spread wider to match her own. His gaze flickered to her full lips and his mouth watered. There were no barriers anymore, his feelings were out in the open. From her reaction to his song, not only did she seem to accept them but reciprocate them as well. Now there was nothing holding him back from giving in to every temptation that had crossed his mind. His face dropped nearer to hers, his breath fanned across her face, sending shivers down her spine. But she stopped him with a hand pressing against the bare skin of his chest.

Jaskier froze, still as a statue, sudden icy fear dripped down his spine. Had he made mistake? But Y/N’s smile never faltered. She moved to entwine her fingers with his and squeezed them affectionately.

“Can we perhaps move this conversation to somewhere more private?” she whispered, eyeing the bustle around them.

A sudden laugh escaped her as Jaskier span around and raced up the stairs, pulled her with him before she had a chance to blink, leaping over a step to stop herself from falling flat on her face.

Geralt watched the couple race up the stairs and disappear into one of the rooms. No one could tell from his shadowed seclusion in the corner, but a small smile graced the Witcher’s lips. He’d never say it out loud but Y/N and Jaskier were his friends and he’d grown tired of watching them make themselves and each other miserable. He took another long sip of his ale and settled into his seat, looking out into the night through the rain as it streaked down the window and looked forward to finally have a night of peace.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed! Please leave a like of a comment and tell me what you think. Part 2 will be out soon!


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